Pretty Little Liars: Season 7b
by Darkest Heiress
Summary: Warning: Spoilers- Story begins seconds after Season 7a of PLL ends, with Spencer in a critical condition, Noel decapitated, and Mary's been revealed as Spencer's biological mother. This is my take of what could happen in 7b, because April is still too far away. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

The girls stared at Mary Drake, different thought's racing through their heads until someone's voice broke the silence, "Somebody call 911!" All of the girls frantically searched for their phones. Aria found her phone in her pocket and dialed as fast as she could.

An operator answered, "Hello, nine-one-one, what is your emergency?"

Aria took a deep breath. "My friend was just shot in the chest." Emily sobbed, unable to take her eyes of Spencer's seemingly lifeless body. The only thing stopping Spencer from bleeding to death was Mary Drake's hand, but she was still losing a lot of blood.

Aria covered the phone with her hand. "Guys, where are we?" She asked, her voice shaking.

"Here, just give her these directions." Hanna thrust her phone at Aria, who nodded and began reciting directions into the phone.

Mary Drake stopped stroking Spencer's face for a moment and looked up, sensing Alison's wide eyes burning into her. The two didn't exchange words, but still came to an understanding. Alison didn't understand how Mary Drake could be Spencer's mother, but that wasn't the priority right now. For once, Ali was going to do the right thing. "I'll go see if I can find anything to make a bandage." She told the girls, expressionless.

"I'll come too." Emily stood up. She looked like a deer in headlights, still unable to tear her eyes away from the sight of her dying friend.

Alison slid her hand into Emily's, reassuring her, feeling unusually emotional under the circumstances. Usually Ali just tried to shut her feelings down, but now she was just being strong for Emily. "Alright then let's go."

The two walked down the stairs. Emily stifled a gasp when she saw Noel's head at the bottom of the stairs, even though she knew it was there. "I think I'm going to be sick." Ali looked away. "Do you hear that?" She asked Emily.

Emily's eyes widened. "Sirens." The athlete sprinted towards the door, almost slipping in a pool of blood. Alison heard her screaming for the ambulances outside as she bent down to examine what was left of Noel. She didn't want to look at the creep any longer than she had to, but couldn't make the safe mistake as last time. Masks seemed to be this –A's signature. She gingerly reached out a hand, her fingers an inch away from the pale, blood splattered head when Emily burst back inside.

"Ali." She panted, she frowned at the head. "What are you doing?" Emily didn't wait for an answer. "This way!" She yelled to a group of paramedics that carried a stretcher. She led them up the stairs, and down the hallway into the creepy dark room the other girls had stayed in.

"Alright, clear out of the way!" A stern looking woman commanded. The girls scattered, wiping away at tears. Mary Drake didn't move, but let three of the paramedics lift her daughter onto a stretcher. Aria's blood ran cold. Spencer's limp hand hung off the edge of the stretcher, reminding her of when they brought down Sara Harvey's body at the Radley. The idea that Spencer could have the same fate hit her lit a wrecking ball. A paramedic instructed the girls to ride in the other ambulance. The rode to the hospital in silence.

Hanna looked at the other girls. "Do you think she going to-"  
"Hanna." Aria interrupted, shaking her head at the blond. "Don't even go there."

When the ambulance arrived at the hospital the girls raced after Spencer, who was being wheeled into the building. A clear mask was strapped to Spencer's face, helping her breath. That meant she was alive, right? "I'm sorry, family only." A nurse blocked the girls.

Alison stepped forward, her eyes blazing. "I'm family." She raised an eyebrow at the nurse, daring her to challenge her. "And they're with me." She strode confidently passed the nurse, and the other girls followed after only a moment of hesitation.


	2. Chapter 2

An hour later the four girls sat in the hospital waiting room since Peter and Veronica Hastings occupied the two chairs in Spencer's hospital room. Hanna broke the tense silence first. "Do you think she's going to-"

"Hanna." Aria interrupted, shaking her head at the blond.

"What?" Hanna looked indignant. "I was just asking."

Aria took a shaky breath. "I don't even want to think about it."

"Sorry." Hanna apologized quietly.

"It's fine." Aria forgave her, forcing a weak smile.

"I should probably call Caleb." Hanna said to no one in particular. She dialed his number but he didn't pick up so she sent him a message. "I can't take this anymore." She complained after another moment of silence. She stood up. "I'm going to go get coffee, does anybody else want anything?"

Emily and Aria shook their heads. Allison rolled her eyes and stood up. "Are we really going to pretend like this isn't happening?" She demanded. "Spencer was shot. We shouldn't be sitting in a waiting room doing nothing. We need to find Jenna before she chooses her next victim."

"Really Ali?" Emily stood up, crossing her arms. "Spencer was shot, and we're staying here in the hospital where there are doctors trying to save her life right now." A look of hurt flashed briefly across Allison's face. _Betrayed by the loyal one._

Her face hardened. "Fine." She looked at the other girls. "Are either of you going to side with me?" She demanded.

Aria, the peace keeper, sighed and shrugged. "I mean; we don't even know where Jenna is." She looked worried.

Allison looked exasperated. "I know, that's why we need to find her! Think about it Aria," She stepped towards the brunette, "Jenna could've shot Ezra. How would you feel then?" Aria understood what Allison meant.

Aria's expression changed instantly. "I didn't mean to kill Shana." She said in a low, angry voice.

Ali tilted her head. "Really?" She said in a falsely sweet voice, "Then what did you mean to do?" She asked Aria.

"Alright that's enough." Emily stepped in between the two girls.

Alison glared at her. "Thanks a lot for having my back, Em." She said before storming out of the waiting room.

Emily hesitated for a moment before calling out, "Ali, wait." And following her.

Aria sighed. "Thanks for the help Hanna." She told the blond.

"No problem." Hanna didn't even look up from her phone.

Emily caught up to Alison outside the hospital. "Where are you going?" She went after Ali.

Alison whipped around. "I'm going to go find Jenna, whether you guys come with me or not."

"Ali…" Emily trailed off, with a half guilty expression. "Look, can we just sit down for a second?" She gestured towards a bench. The two girls sat down. "I just want to stay with Spencer until she's at least out of surgery. Once we know she's okay, then I promise I'll help you find Jenna. But in the mean time, it's not safe for you to go out looking for her all by yourself." Emily looked at her friend, concerned.

Alison stood up, "I'm sorry, but I can't just sit around and do nothing while she's still out there." She turned to leave.

"Ali!" Emily grabbed her friend's wrist. "We don't even know that Jenna shot Spencer." Alison looked surprised, enough to sit down at least.

"Who else could've shot her. No one else was there." Alison stared at Emily, wide eyed.

"We don't know that." Emily said grimly. "We know Noel didn't shoot her, he was already… you know. And right know we all believe Mary Drake."  
"Exactly." Ali pointed out. "So no one else could have shot her."  
"Ali, Jenna's blind. She couldn't-"

"She could, and she did." Alison said firmly.

Emily stared at her hands, trying not to be hurt. "We should go back inside."

Alison sighed, possibly feeling a little guilt. "I'm sorry, Em." She uncrossed her arms. "You're right, maybe Jenna didn't shoot Spencer."

Emily gave her a weak half smile before Alison grasped her hand and the two walked back inside the hospital. They stepped out of the elevator and headed towards the girls. "No news." Hanna told them gloomily in response to Emily's hopeful look. Emily sat on a stiff chair, and Alison squeezed her hand in a reassuring gesture. She exchanged a meaningful look with Aria.

"Wait." Emily sat up, narrowing her eyes in confusion.

"What's wrong?" Alison asked, concerned.

"Is that Caleb?" Emily asked incredulously, looking at a dark haired young man at the desk. She turned to Hanna. "I thought you couldn't get ahold of him?"

Hanna paled and swallowed. "I didn't." She shook her head, glancing at the other girls, different thoughts running through their heads. "What do you think the odds are that Spencer put him on her emergency contact list?"

"Pretty slim." Aria admitted.

Emily stood up. "Caleb?" She called. Caleb turned around, a look of confusion flickered across his face briefly before he saw Hanna's tears and immediately walked over and embraced her.

"What're you doing here?" He asked her, pulling out of the hug.

Hanna sniffled, her face turning pink again. "Um, we were in the house. And she just," Hanna shook her head. "She just came out of nowhere. Caleb," Hanna looked at him. "Jenna shot Spencer." Shock and disbelief was written across his face, but he just hugged Hanna, knowing there was nothing he could say.

"You guys are okay?" He asked the girls grimly. They nodded.

Hanna wiped away a tear. Emily frowned. "Wait, if you didn't know about Spencer, why are you here?" She asked Caleb.

Caleb took a deep breath. "Uh, the hospital called me. Toby and Yvonne were in a car crash."

"Oh my god." Aria put a hand to her mouth.

"Is he okay?" Emily asked Caleb, swallowing hard.

"We're not sure yet, I was just going to check." Caleb replied, looking solemn.

After he left, Aria looked at the girls. "We don't seriously think this is a coincidence do we?" Aria asked them. "I mean, Spencer gets shot, and Toby and Yvonne's car just suddenly crashes?"

"Well if that's true, Jenna had to have been working with someone." Alison realized, leaning forwards.

"Not necessarily." Emily shook her head. "Technically she could've done something to the car before she left for the house."

Hanna looked disbelieving. "I doubt Jenna knows anything about cars. I think Noel did something to the car." She told the girls, who started arguing about the car.

"Em, Em wake up." Hanna shook Emily awake.

"What?" Emily sat up, blinking sleepily.

"You fell asleep." Hanna told her as Emily looked around her, remembering where she was.

She bolted up from her curled up position in the uncomfortable chair. "Is there any news?" She asked Hanna, half worried half eager.

Hanna shook her head, looking sad, "No, not-"

"Girls!" Veronica Hastings came walking towards them.

"Is there any news?" Aria asked her.

Veronica nodded, looking relieved. "Yes. Spencer's going to be okay. The surgery went well, and she should be awake soon." She told the girls.

Hanna let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding. "Oh thank god." She hugged Aria.

"You girls can come in and see her if you'd like." Veronica smiled slightly.

"Okay, thank you so much." Aria smiled at her.

Emily stood up follow the girls to Spencer's room. She looked around and realized Ali was gone. "Wait, where's Ali?" She asked, sounding panicked.

"Relax Em." Hanna sounded slightly exasperated. "She just went out to get coffee from the other room."

"Oh, okay." Em relaxed.

 _No one could blame her_ , Aria thought. Alison did have a habit of disappearing. "Do you want to wait for her, or-" Aria asked Emily gently,

"No." Emily shook her head. "That's okay. We should be there when she wakes up."

The girls walked down the hallway into Spencer's hospital room. Hanna hesitated only a moment before opening the door. She was worried she wouldn't be able to deal with seeing Spencer again. There was so much blood before, she'd looked dead. But Spencer looked different now. The blood was gone, and some of the color had returned to her face, though she still looked pale. Her arm was in a sling, but Hanna couldn't see the bullet wound.

Aria, the compassionate one, walked over the hospital bed first, and gently grasped Spencer's hand. Spencer's eyelids had begun to flutter open. Hanna let out a loud sigh of relief, and the sight of Spencer's brown eyes open. Spencer blinked at the ceiling for a moment, disoriented before realizing where she was and sitting up. "Hey." Aria smiled at her, speaking quietly.

Hanna quickly walked over to Spencer and hugged her. "I'm so glad you're okay!" She exclaimed.

"Me too, but you're kind of crushing me." Spencer told Hanna, laughing slightly.

"Oh god, sorry." Hanna pulled away quickly. "Did I hurt your arm?" She asked, concerned.

"No, it's fine." Spencer smiled weakly.

"We're so glad your awake." Emily told her, gently hugging her, but was careful not to hurt her arm.


	3. Chapter 3

When Allison walked back into the hospital waiting room, the girls were gone.

"One of the nurses said Spencer should be waking up soon." Veronica Hastings startled Alison. "I thought the girls should be with her when she woke up since you girls saved her."

Alison blinked. "Oh."

"They wanted to wait for you, but they wanted to be there for her." Veronica informed her. "You can go in now."

"Thanks, Mrs. Hastings." Alison thanked her hesitantly before walking into Spencer's hospital room. "Spencer?" She called, knocking on the hospital room door. The door quickly swung open to reveal Aria.

"Come on in." Aria smiled at her.

"Hey Ali." Spencer was propped up by a few pillows. Her arm was in a blue sling. Maybe it was Ali's imagination, but she could still smell the metallic scent of blood.

"How are you?" She sat on the edge of Spencer's hospital bed, trying to swallow her emotions.

Spencer scoffed, "Well, I did just have a bullet in my chest." She laughed. "But they have me hooked up to all this, so I'm not in too much pain." She told the girls, gesturing to an IV hooked up to her arm.

"I'm so sorry." Ali told her friend.  
Spencer shook her head. "It wasn't your fault. It wasn't any of yours." She looked at Aria, Hanna, Emily, and Alison.

"No." Aria agreed. She shut the hospital room door, knowing nothing she said could be overheard, "It was Jenna's."

"Guys." Spencer looked serious. "Jenna didn't shoot me."

"What do you mean? We saw her with the gun!" Hanna exclaimed.

"Shh!" Aria shushed her.

"Spencer, maybe you don't remember right." Ali suggested, shaking her head. "We saw Jenna with the gun, and she was the only one up there, other than Mary Drake." Spencer raised her eyebrows.

"Wait, are you saying Mary Drake shot you?" Hanna's eyes widened.

"No. No, she, uh, wanted to help me." Spencer wiped at her eyes with her hand.

"I guess you remember what happened then?" Hanna inferred gently.

"Yeah, I remember what Mary Drake said." Spencer stared at the sheets. She took a deep breath, "But that's not important right now." She looked up at the liars. "Someone else was in that house, not just Jenna and Noel." She let her words sink in, though Emily nodded as she had already come to the same conclusion. "I think it was A.D." She told them slowly.

"I thought we agreed Jenna was A.D? _Is_ A.D?" Aria questioned.

Spencer nodded. "Yeah, but what happened tonight was kind of a game changer. I mean, look where I am." She gestured around her. White bed sheets were pulled over half the pale girl's body. There was crème colored walls, no windows, and a single small piece of abstract art hung by the door. The whole room smelled like Clorox wipes and hand sanitizer. "Alright, let's vote." Spencer suggested. "Who thinks Jenna shot me?" The girls glanced at each other, Emily, the peace lover, looked slightly frustrated.

Aria half raised her hand tentatively. "Sorry," She shrugged, looking around at her friends, "But I just can't imagine who else it could be."

"Four to one." Spencer counted.

"But why would Jenna help A.D?" Emily asked. The liars all looked at Alison.

"Why are you looking at me?" The blond frowned, feeling insulted.

"No offense, Ali, but you are the best at keeping secrets." Aria said with a knowing look.

"And you've always had something on her, and Noel, and pretty much everyone." Hanna added.

"No offense taken." Alison rolled her eyes. "I don't know why Jenna would help A.D." She looked around her at her friends. "Honestly." They had to believe her. "She can't still be hung up on the Jenna Thing."

"Mhmm." Aria made a face. "If anyone knows how to hold a grudge, it's Jenna."

The other girls muttered agreement. They all jumped as a knock sounded at the door. "Relax guys." Spencer reassured them. "I doubt A.D would just come knocking."  
Hanna opened the door. "Hey Caleb." She looked at her friend, or whatever he currently was.

"Hey." He tried to smile at her, but it looked like more of a grimace. Caleb looked past her at his pale ex-girlfriend sitting propped up in a hospital bed. Hanna stepped aside and Caleb walked through the doorway. "How are you?" He asked carefully, talking to her like she as made of glass.

"I'm fine, I've been through worse." Spencer shrugged it off.

"Seriously?" Caleb asked, his eyebrows raised.

"No." Spencer admitted, shaking her head and laughing.

"How was Toby?" Hanna turned to Caleb before wondering if it was a good idea.

"Hanna!" Aria elbowed her friend.

"Ouch, sorry." The blond rubbed her elbow.

Spencer's heart rate monitor began to beep more frequently. "Wait, what's wrong with Toby? Is he here?" She tried to sit up, her eyes wide and scared.

"Here, Spencer, you need to relax." Aria moved a pillow so Spencer could sit all the way up.

Caleb and Hanna exchanged a look, and Hanna took Spencer's hand. "Spence, Toby and Yvonne were in an accident. A car crash."

Spencer covered her mouth with her hand. "Oh my god." She closed her eyes, trying not to start crying. "Are they alive?" She asked Caleb, who wore a pained expression.

"They said Toby will be alright." He stared at the ground.

"And Yvonne?" Spencer barely dared to ask.

Caleb looked up at her, cleared his throat, and shook his head. "She, uh- She didn't make it." He told her.

Spencer leaned back against the pillows, and shut her eyes, silent. "Spence?" Hanna shook her hand slightly. "Are you okay?"  
"Am I okay?" Spencer echoed, still squeezing her eyes shut. "Let me think. I was just shot in the chest, my friend was in a car crash, someone I know is dead, and A is back. No, somehow I don't think that qualifies as okay."

"Do you want us to leave?" Aria offered.

"No, that's okay." Spencer opened her eyes. "Did you see him?" She looked at Caleb.

"Yeah." He nodded, his sad brown eyes focused on Spencer.

Spencer just nodded, refraining from asking if she could see him. His fiancée had just died, and it was her fault.

It was like Emily had sensed her thoughts. "It wasn't your fault, Spencer." She told her friend.

"Emily's right." Caleb backed Emily up. "I asked the nurse, she said the crash was an accident."

"Yeah, well –A was always good at making the evidence look like an accident." Spencer argued.

"But this isn't –A. Just a copycat, remember?" Hanna reminded her friend.

"Right." Spencer sighed.

Just then Mrs. Hastings opened the door. "Oh." She looked a little startled. "It's a bit crowded in here, I thought you girls were back in the waiting room." She turned to her daughter. "Honey, your father was taking a call, he has a meeting he has to go to, it can't be rescheduled. I'm so sorry." She gave Spencer an apologetic look.

Spencer didn't look surprised. "It's okay. Do you know when I'll be released?" Spencer looked at her mother with a pleading expression.

"Well," Veronica hesitated, "the doctors said you need some time to recuperate, but you can be discharged the day after tomorrow. As long as you're monitored closely." She said firmly.

"Okay." Spencer looked deep in thought. She looked up at the girls suddenly. "You know what, I'm actually really tired." She admitted.

"Do you want us to leave?" Hanna asked her.

"You can stay, but it won't be a very interesting visit." Spencer grinned.

"Okay, we should probably go see Toby anyway." Emily nodded.

A shadow passed over Spencer's face but all she said was "Yeah." In a slightly lower voice.

Aria squeezed Spencer's hand. "We'll come back tomorrow."

"Well," Emily interjected, "Technically it is tomorrow." She looked at a clock on the wall, "but yeah, we'll visit you later." She smiled at Spencer.

Spencer thanked them before her friends left. The girls found Caleb in the hallway.

"Where's Toby?" Hanna asked Caleb.

Caleb led the girls down a hallway. "He's in here." He told the girls, a solemn expression on his face as he gestured towards a closed door. "Just, be careful." He cautioned them. "He only found out about Yvonne a few hours ago. He might still be pretty upset." He warned them.

"We'll support him." Aria assured Caleb.

"Alright." Caleb pushed open the hospital room door somewhat reluctantly. Inside Toby was sitting on his hospital bed.

"Hey, Toby." Emily spoke first. Toby looked like someone who was grieving. He'd lost so many people in his life. Now Yvonne. "How are you?" She asked him. He looked at her pointedly. "Right, sorry." Emily looked down. "That was a stupid question."

Hanna stepped forward. "I didn't know her well but… I'm sorry." She smiled at Toby sadly.

"I'm probably going to be hearing that a lot." Toby sounded a little bitter, mostly sad. "Her parents aren't even here yet. They don't know."

Hanna was overwhelmed emotionally after everything they'd been through in the past twenty-four hours. Tears came to her eyes. She shook her head, "That's awful." She told Toby genuinely.

Toby didn't really know what to say. "Thanks for visiting me." He told the girls. He scanned the group. "Where is Spencer?" He looked slightly confused, as though he had expected he would visit him.

"Um, Toby…" Emily looked sad and concerned, "she-"

"She had to go to D.C." Aria interrupted impulsively. The other girls and Caleb looked at her, wide eyed. "There was an emergency meeting about her mom's election results, something about the press, I think. Spencer took a flight out late yesterday and couldn't come back yet." Aria lied, quickly coming up with a story.

"Um, Aria, can I talk to you outside for a second?" Hanna raised her eyebrows at Aria.

"Yeah, I'll come to." Caleb added, and the two steered Aria out of the hospital room. "What was that?" He demanded in a whisper.

Aria looked at the two, her eyes filled with empathy. "Look you guys. He just lost his fiancé, I couldn't tell him his friend was shot the same day."

Hanna looked annoyed. "Fine, I'll tell him." She snapped and turned back towards the now closed door.

"Hanna, wait!" Aria grabbed her friend's wrist. "Think about it before you do something you'll regret." She pleaded with her friend.

Hanna looked Aria in the eyes. "If it was me, I would want to know." She turned and walked into Toby's room. Caleb and Aria exchanged a look. They both knew if Hanna had made up her mind, there was no way to change it.

Hanna stepped inside the cold hospital room. She remembered when she'd stayed in the hospital after Mona hit her with her car. That was when she had first seen a guilt ridden Ali, in the hospital.

"Hanna?" Emily waved a hand in front of her friend's face looking concerned. "You okay?" Hanna's eyes were unfocused and she wasn't blinking.

"What?" Hanna jumped. "Oh, sorry, just lost in thought." She tried to smile, but Emily knew her too well.

"Right." Emily gave Hanna a look.

Hanna took a shaky breath. "Um, Toby, there's something I have to tell you." Toby looked at her curious. "Spencer's not in Washington." She told him. It was too late to back out now.

Toby's expression turned cold. "Oh." He said flatly.

Hanna realized what it sounded like. "It's not that she didn't want to see you, but…something came up." She really should've planned what she was going to say first. Toby looked a little lost, but his cold demeanor still stayed present. "Toby…" Hanna trailed off.

"Hanna." Emily gave Hanna a warning look, shaking her head.

"What aren't you telling me?" Toby inquired. He looked at Emily and Caleb, they were his closest friends and the most honest.

Caleb wouldn't meet his eyes. "It's nothing."

Toby snorted. "If it were nothing you wouldn't be acting like someone died." The girls squirmed uncomfortably. Toby sat forward. "Wait, did someone actually-"

"No." Hanna sighed. "No one died, but it was close." She stared at her feet unable to look at Toby. She should just rip the Band-Aid off. "Toby, Spencer was shot." She said in a rush.

Toby's expression was blank. "What?" He sounded hollow somehow.

Ali, who had stayed silence until now, spoke up. "-A blackmailed us into going into an old blind school. Jenna and Noel were there. Noel… Noel's dead." She swallowed. "We were trying to escape when suddenly Spencer was gone." Her voice shook slightly. "Jenna shot Spencer in the chest." She glanced at Emily who was giving her a harsh look. "At least that's what some of us think."

Toby seemed to be struggling to absorb the information. His mouth was open slightly. He looked around him at Spencer's friends, as if waiting for them to tell him this was all a joke. _Jenna shot Spencer._ Alison's words kept playing in his head. He could picture it. Jenna dressed in black, her glasses reflecting Spencer's fearful face before an evil smirk spread across her face and she pulled the trigger. "Is she okay?" He asked the girls slowly.

The liars glanced at each other. This wasn't how they expected him to react. _Maybe he's in shock._ Hanna thought.

"Um." Emily looked from Hanna to Toby. "She's in the hospital, she came out of surgery a while ago. They said she should make a full recovery." Toby just nodded. "But right now," She continued. "She is in a lot of pain. Or at least she will be as they ease her off the pain killers."

Toby looked pale, but didn't say anything. "Can I see her?"


End file.
